Clashes Continue in Eastern Syria

Facts

• Clashes in eastern Syria, which began last week between the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and tribal militiamen in the country's Deir ez-Zor governorate, have continued in a number of towns and villages along the Euphrates, leaving scores of dead and wounded.¹
• The conflict was sparked after the SDF detained Ahmad al-Khbeil, the commander of the Deir ez-Zor Military Council (DMC) — a group nominally allied with the SDF — accusing him of drug trafficking, nepotism, mismanaging local security, and coordinating with "external entities hostile to the revolution."²
• Over 120 people have been killed in the fighting over the past two weeks, including both fighters and civilians, with the SDF reportedly making territorial gains throughout Deir ez-Zor and capturing Buseira, the home region of al-Khabil.³
• Fighting also spread to other areas, namely the eastern Aleppo countryside, where tribal forces attacked SDF positions near Manbij from bases in Idlib and Turkish-occupied northern Aleppo. The tribesman reportedly managed to advance before shelling from areas under the control of the SDF and the Syrian government as well as Russian air attacks forced them to withdraw, according to local sources.⁴
• Northeast Syria, which is under the control of the SDF, is a patchwork of social groups and militias alongside the presence of US forces. The SDF, which is an umbrella group of Arab and Kurdish militias, has increasingly come into conflict with certain tribal forces in Deir ez-Zor, even clashing with fighters loyal to al-Khabil last month.⁵
• The DMC has been part of the SDF for years, as both waged war against the Islamic State group (IS) in order to prevent its comeback. There are around 900 US soldiers in eastern Syria, along with an unknown number of contractors.⁶

Sources: ¹France 24, ²AL, ³The National, ⁴Al Jazeera, ⁵Enab Baladi, and ⁶Associated Press.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by North Press Agency. The current clashes in Deir ez-Zor were caused by outside powers and the mercenary tactics employed by al-Khabil and his cronies. The SDF consistently makes sure to include Arabs in its administrative structure, and outside actors, such as Turkey, Iran, and the Syrian regime have attempted to stoke anti-Kurdish sentiment to weaken the SDF for selfish geopolitical gain. The SDF will continue to prevent criminals from running amok in Deir ez-Zor.
• Narrative B, as provided by The Cradle. The true cause of this fighting and social disintegration is the American occupation of Syria. Arab tribes from Syria's oil-rich northeast have, for years, denounced the occupation and expressed their support for the Syrian government. Tribesmen have also accused the US and its proxies of trying to disperse their loyalties, provoke internal fighting, and weaken their ranks to keep them away from the popular resistance. The international community must demand that the US end its illegal occupation of Syrian land.
• Narrative C, as provided by Al Arabiya English. Ultimately, these clashes are the result of local dynamics, and the influence of outside powers should not be overstated. Corrupt commanders within the DMC felt they were in danger after al-Khabil was arrested and have tried to turn the current fighting into a tribal or ethnic conflict to give a pretext for their more selfish motives. This fight is between the SDF and elements in Deir ez-Zor that feel politically disenfranchised.

Predictions